- Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) said acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is unlikely to be confirmed this year and argued that President Trump has zero leverage over outgoing Republican senators.
- Trump said Thursday that he would wait until Cornyn and Tillis are out of office in January to advance Blanche's nomination.
- Cornyn warned that a Democrat could fill his seat in November and that Trump may have a weaker hand next year.
- Blanche assured lawmakers that the nearly $2 billion fund was dead, but Cornyn said he was not satisfied, noting that changes to the settlement agreement require written consent of the parties.
- Cornyn said Blanche’s testimony did not lead inevitably to the conclusion that the fund is dead and that it could be revived at a future date.
- Sens. Thom Tillis (N.C.), Bill Cassidy (La.), and John Cornyn (Texas) are the outgoing Republican senators identified with opposition to Blanche’s nomination amid questions about the anti-weaponization fund.
- Tillis and Cornyn are needed to advance Blanche’s nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee, where he can lose only one Republican vote.
- Fetterman stated that the math’s just not there because no Democrats would support Blanche.
- Sen. Mitch McConnell’s absence from Congress during his recovery from a fall last month also complicates the effort.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) highlighted former President Trump's waning influence in Congress, particularly regarding the nomination of acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. Fetterman stated, "Trump has zero leverage" as Blanche's nomination faces significant hurdles from outgoing GOP senators, including Thom Tillis, Bill Cassidy, and John Cornyn.12345679
The opposition stems from concerns over the "anti-weaponization fund" established under Blanche's oversight. Fetterman noted, "The math's just not there, and there's certainly not any Democrats that’s going to support this", indicating a lack of bipartisan support for the nomination.8
Blanche's confirmation is further complicated by the need for unanimous Republican support in the Senate Judiciary Committee, where he can afford to lose only one GOP vote. If the nomination reaches the Senate floor, he will require the backing of all but two Republican senators, assuming Democrats oppose him.
Cornyn expressed skepticism about Blanche's assurances regarding the fund's status, stating, "It could be revived at a future date". He also warned that Trump's strategy may backfire, as the incoming senators could be Democrats, potentially weakening Trump's position further.
Fetterman concluded that the current political landscape makes Blanche's confirmation unlikely, emphasizing the challenges posed by the outgoing senators' opposition.
“In the Judiciary Committee, Blanche can lose only one Republican vote, with Tillis and Cornyn needed to advance him; a floor vote would require all but two GOP senators. Cornyn remains unsatisfied over the nearly $2 billion 'anti-weaponization fund,' saying it could be revived because 'written consent of the parties' hasn't been met.”
